S Korea, US begin drills for military

WAR, PYONGYANG STYLE:North Korea gave a harsh reaction to the exercises, saying it would retaliate
if its sovereignty was violated during the drills

AFP, Seoul

An undated photo released by Pyongyang’s Korean Central News Agency yesterday shows North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, center, inspecting units under the command of the Korean People’s Army 4th Corps, stationed in the southwestern sector of the front at an undisclosed location in North Korea.

Photo: AFP / Kcna Via Kns

South Korea and the US yesterday began a major military exercise, a Seoul spokesman said, despite North Korea’s threats of possible retaliation.

A spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the annual Key Resolve drill had started, but gave no details. The computerized command post exercise will continue until March 9.

The North Korean National Defense Commission has denounced the annual drill — which will be followed by joint air, ground and naval field training exercise Foal Eagle from Thursday to April 30 — as a “silent declaration of war.”

“Our army and people will foil the moves of the group of traitors to the nation and warmongers at home and abroad for a new war with a sacred war of our own style,” the commission, the North’s top ruling body, said on Saturday.

The US bases 28,500 troops in South Korea. The North habitually denounces its annual exercises with South Korean forces as a rehearsal for invasion.

Seoul and Washington say the drills are defensive in nature.

The North has taken a hostile tone with the South since North Korean leader Kim Jong-il died on Dec. 17 and was replaced by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un.

The new leader has been appointed armed forces chief and has visited several units in an apparent attempt to burnish his military credentials.

Kim Jong-un inspected two army battalions at a base near the border with the South, state media said on Sunday, adding that one of them had staged the deadly shelling of a South Korean island in November 2010.

The leader ordered “a powerful retaliatory strike” if yesterday’s drills were to intrude on North Korean territory, it said.

Pyongyang’s state news agency yesterday described Key Resolve as “an unpardonable infringement upon the sovereignty and dignity” of the North while it is still in mourning for the late leader.

The South’s military has strengthened monitoring of the North’s activities to guard against potential attacks, Yonhap news agency said on Sunday.

It said RF-4 and U-2 reconnaissance aircraft would be fully mobilized and F-15K jets would be on emergency standby.

Artillery units deployed near the land border will also stand ready to immediately hit back if attacked, it said. The defense ministry declined to comment.

Cross-border tension has been high since Seoul accused Pyongyang of torpedoing a warship with the loss of 46 lives near the tense sea border off the west coast in March 2010. The North denied -involvement, but went on to shell Yeonpyeong Island later that year, killing four people and sparking brief fears of war.

Hong Hyun-ik of the South’s Sejong Institute think-tank said Kim Jong-un’s latest visit was aimed at forging an image as a brave young leader and to garner loyalty from the powerful military.

“It’s eventually aimed to further cement his leadership by highlighting the country’s Songun [military-first] policy and solidify the new leadership as quickly as possible,” Yonhap quoted Hong as saying.